Understanding Crochet Instructions

One great thing about written crochet instructions of any kind is that it always sounds like garbledlygook unless you’ve got enough experience or moxie to be able to both read it, see it in your mind’s eye, and somehow manage to say, "Oh that’s easy!" and do it with a straight face. For the rest of us, I suspect we fake it ’till we make it.

crocheted wrist warmer

crocheted wrist warmer, originally uploaded by picable.

Worsted Weight Yarn in your choice of color
Size H hook, 5mm

Row 1: Ch 25, dc in 4th ch from hook and each ch across, ch 3, turn.

Row 2: FPdc around second dc, dc in next dc, [ FPdc, dc ] 9 times, FPdc, dc in turning ch, ch 3, turn.

Row 3: BPdc around second dc, dc in next dc, [ BPdc, dc ] 9 times, BPdc, dc in turning ch, ch 3, turn.

Row 4: Rep Row 2

Row 5: Rep Row 3

Row 6: Rep Row 2

Sew short sides together. Weave in loose ends.

Afghan stitch?

After doing about a hundred afghans with the afghan stitch (tunisian); I have come to these conclusions...

1. For the beginning chain, use a regular hook that is two or three sizes larger than the afghan hook you intend to work with.

2. Begin using the afghan hook starting with row one.

3. Sometimes you can go up a size or two with the afghan hook and still be on the gauge. Not always. Refer to step one and two.

4. Relaxing with the afghan stitch is vital to your physical and/or mental health. Take a deep relaxing breath. Take a nap. Take a walk. Drink a beer. Take a pill. Whatever you do, relax. Otherwise you will experience great pains in your arm and shoulder that will keep you tossing and turning at night until you finally get used to working so hard and being so tense. Remember that it is supposed to be fun. Relax and be nice to the dog again. It’s not his fault you want to do something awesome like the afghan stitch.

5. Smile! When your afghan is all done and the compliments start pouring in, grin and bear it. Say "I know" and "Thank you!" Don’t point out all your flaws and mistakes. If they can’t see it, let it go. Pat yourself on the back because you earned it. And be proud of your accomplishment. You deserve it.

fun with crochet

100_0061, originally uploaded by picable.

This one I called 'Rhyme without Reason'. My intentions were to make it a buddy and call it 'Reason', but since I never quite made it to 'Reason' this little guy became 'Rhyme without Reason'.

I like the big nose. I got that effect by using Lion Brand Suede Yarn. I made it seperate from the rest of the doll and sewed it on his snout. I did the body and head in the round using single crochet. The arms and legs are seperate pieces. I made the thumb by increasing and using hdc in place of sc. After that you just decrease and go back to sc stitches and it works out to look like a thumb.

I like to attach arms and legs using the string method. You just use a big needle to sew from one arm, through the body, and out the other arm, and back again. Do this right and knot it under the arm real tight. Then hide your loose ends. If you practice it enough the arms stay on and they also move up and down and all the way around. Pretty neat, I think.

Do the legs that way and the doll can sit and you can pose it nicely. I like safety eyes, but now I'm getting better at embroidering them on.
My dog likes to chew on plastic eyes, so that got me looking for a better way.

I did the hairy ears by attaching yarn one piece at a time the same way you would fringe. Did the tail that way, too.

Crocheted Tales

100_0466, originally uploaded by picable.

I had the idea of making crocheted dog sweaters, and that I did. Still do, but I learned a LOT along the way. Such as dogs come in all sizes and temperments.

Also, when I followed a pattern for dog sweaters, I quickly realized that the pattern never fit the dog the way it was supposed to. At first, I thought it was because we underestimate just how big our dogs really are. So I would fudge about the size of the sweater so the dog's owner wouldn't be insulted.

After awhile I just accepted that dogs, like people, are all unique. That, and its not as simple as it looks to fit a dog with an outfit. It takes a bit of trial and error.

baby sling - back view

baby sling , originally uploaded by picable.

To help you understand better how it's done.

baby sling

baby sling, originally uploaded by picable.

If you can sew on a machine, you can make this! It consists of one long double panel of fabric. Wider at the top and narrowing down as you go.

Two long straps at top to go around the Mom and criss-crossing her back. One long strap centered on narrow end of main piece with two short straps sewed on top of that. Sew a ring on ends of short straps for looping the long straps through. Bring up between baby's legs and tie the long strap in a knot to secure the baby. (Reminds me of cloth diapers without the pins)

Criss cross the upper long straps across Mom's back and run through the rings, tie in a knot behind Mom's back, or put a buckle system in place. Make it as easy or complicated as you like.

Either way, its not that difficult once you understand how it works and why. Two knots/five straps/ a strip of cloth to cradle the baby/ and the Mom now has two free hands to do what she needs to do.

I love it!

Show and Tell Time

I'm a-showing off my work here and a-telling you that I love making things from bits of fabric or string. ha ha ha

Seriously, I sewed this last night. With black satin.

I know it's cold outside right now, but Spring is right around the corner. We have flowers blooming and bees are in the clover grass this week.

inside crochet bikini bottom

inside crochet bikini bottom, originally uploaded by picable.

This is about how I line the inside of crocheted bikinis.

Lay the bikini out on top of the fabric you intend to line it with. Cut around the outside edges of the bikini. Don't cut the crochet!

Pin the fabric to the crochet with safety pins, so it doesn't shift while your stitching. Be sure the fabric is on the inside of the bikini, not the outside.

Hand stitch the liner in, using small stitches, being careful to stitch to the inside of the crochet--not all the way through--so the stitches stay hidden.

Tuck the fabric under about half an inch so the edges don't show. If you are a perfectionist, you can stitch the liner on your machine first, but you have to be a lot more acurate in cutting the fabric that way.

Start sewing at the crotch and work your way up one side, then the other. If you start at the top and work your way around, you may find yourself frustrated and ripping out all your stitches.

That's about it. Don't worry, you'll be a pro inside of two suits.

Bikinis in February????

Why not? What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than with a sexy little number like this?

If you can't turn up the heat in February then I don't know what to say except that this suit can get you warmed up in no time. Let it snow. Close the doors. Unplug the phone. Light your fireplace and enjoy the holiday.

Happy Valentine's Day!